Second Generation
by Lady Nessa
Summary: Amber Corvin has been looking for her older brother, Michael, since he has disappeared. While she is looking for him, the vampire coven is looking for her. When Amber finds Michael, will he be able to protect her and why do the vamps want her anyway?
1. Rocky

(A/N: Yeah! My first Underworld fic! I don't own them…yet.)

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CHAPTER ONE

Amber walked through the subway where her brother had been less than two weeks earlier. It was raining outside so she was soaked. Amber's brown hair was dripping onto her clothes. It didn't matter much because her own clothes were even wetter than her hair. Her hair went two inches past her shoulders and she had her bangs pulled back so they wouldn't get into her amber colored eyes.

Amber wore black boots with blue jeans. Her shirt was black and sleeveless. It was cut low and had a V-neck. Around her waist, the girl wore a purple gossamer belt that tied at her right hip and hung down. She had on a black sweater/jacket. It hung open and stopped halfway between her ankle and knee.

Tonight, Amber was on her way to the hospital where her older brother, Michael Corvin, worked at till he disappeared over a week ago. She had tried to find him, but being sixteen has its disadvantages. All she had were the pictures he would send her of him and his new friends at college. Amber looked at them a lot. After Michael disappeared, she had the whole apartment to herself. No one had figured out why there were holes in the walls or why there was a hole in the floor in front of the elevator. Amber was curious about that, as were her neighbors.

She looked up into the crowd in front of her as she boarded the subway. There were two girls that looked around her age. One had red hair that went to her chin. It looked like she had tried to darken it by putting in black highlights. Her eyes were a bright green, which stood out against her pale skin. She was dressed in all black from her shirt to her boots. She wore a black leather jacket that went to the floor. It was zipped up at her waist and stopped halfway up, showing her black shirt underneath.

The girl next to her had her blond hair cut short. Her eyes were crystal blue She wore a black shirt with dark red lace sleeves. Over the black part of her shirt, the dark red lace continued. Her boots were black like her jeans. She had a black denim jacket, which she put on after she sat down.

Amber looked at them a moment. She thought she recognized them. Then it hit her. They looked like the girls in one of the pictures Michael had sent her. Odd that they were in college since they only looked sixteen themselves. Amber took out the pictures and looked at them again. Yep, they were the same girls.

In the photo, Michael was next to them with a dark haired woman at his side. Behind the girls was a big, buff, dark skinned man who had a shaved head. The subway stopped and the girls got up before they walked off the subway. Amber raced after them hoping they would know something about her brother.

"Excuse me!" she asked running up to them. "Do you two know Michael Corvin?"

The girls looked at the other and then turned back to Amber.

"No." the blonde said. She had a British accent.

"Maybe. Why?" the red head said. She also had a British accent.

"I was wondering if you might know where he is. I thought you might since it looks like you two are in this picture with him." Amber said handing them the picture.

The two looked at the picture and handed it back.

"That's not us." the blond said.

"Oh, sorry to bother you…um.."

"I'm Selene and this is Michele." The red headed one said.

"I'm Amber. Sorry I bothered you."

After Amber had left them, Michele looked confused.

"She's named after a rock?"

Selene rolled her eyes. "C'mon, lycan."

Amber got to the hospital and checked out Michael's locker. She didn't have the key and the lock was still on. That didn't stop her. She got a crowbar and broke the lock off. With determination and a little elbow grease, anything was possible.

"Why are you obsessing over this? I'm sure the police are on it." Adam (dude with the glasses) said as he watched her undo the lock.

"I thought the police were the ones who made him disappear in the first place." Amber said turning to him. She rolled her eyes and looked inside the locker after she flung the door open. Michael had left his windbreaker in it, for what reason Amber didn't know. Then she found something. It was his address book. She took it and flipped through it. Nothing useful. Then some names caught her eye.

"Adam, who's lycan?" Amber asked him.

"Never heard of them. Why?"

"The word Lycan is next to a name in here, Taini. But then again the word Vampress is next to the name Raven. It's probably nothing." Amber said as she grabbed Michael's windbreaker. She hung it over her arm and closed the locker door.

Amber ran through the dark streets as rain poured down on her. She was using one hand to hold Michael's windbreaker over her head and the other holding her black sweater closed. She was trying to stay dry, and failing miserably. As she ran back to the apartment, a pair of eyes watched her from a rooftop. Amber didn't see them and they were gone by the time she got to the apartment.

Amber was still soaking wet as she used her house key to unlock the door. She entered the placed that served as her home and set her keys on the desk. Amber threw Michael's windbreaker on the couch as she went and got a towel to dry off her hair. She let her hair hang down as thunder roared outside and the rain tapped on her windows. Amber dried off her hair and then brushed it. Now is when she tried to turn on the lights. She liked darkness better than light. However, she also liked being able to see. She flipped the switch. Nothing happened. She tried a few more times but nothing happened.

"Great, the electricity is out." Amber moaned. Lightning flashed and she went over to the window. It had finally stopped raining and the lightning and thunder were all that remained. Amber looked down at the wet and deserted streets. They were so peaceful and calm with no one on them. It was as if the world had just stopped. However, this vision was not to last long. The door opened behind her suddenly and Amber whirled around slightly frightened.

"Amber?" came a familiar voice.

"Michael!" Amber shouted running forward to him, her moment of fear forgotten. When the two met, they hugged each other. Amber almost knocked him to the ground when she ran into him. "Don't ever do that again!"

"I won't." Michael replied laughing slightly at his sister.

"Where were you?" Amber asked.

"I had some business to take care of, and still do. I came to get you." he said.

"What kind of business? Wait, we're leaving?" Amber asked. She wasn't sure she liked where this was going.

"Yes. We are leaving immediately. I can't tell you where we are going, not yet anyway." Michael said ushering her out the door.

The two walked through the streets quickly, Michael staying close to his younger sister. It seemed like they walked forever. Amber was just glad it had finished raining. However, she did want to know where the heck they were going. They finally came to a rundown mansion at the edge of town. It looked far from inviting. Michael knocked on the door gently and gave her a warm smile for encouragement. Amber heard footsteps and a girl opened the door. It was the red haired girl from the subway.

"Hello, Michael." she said smiling then saw Amber. "The rock formation right?" she said pointing to her.

"Amber."

"Right, what is Rocky doing here?" she said turning to Michael.

"I'm Amber."

"What-ever." the girl said.

"Amber is my younger sister, Raven. She has come to stay with us." Michael said.

"Raven?" Amber asked turning to Michael. "She told me her name was Selene."

Michael glared at Raven. He looked like he was going to shout at her later for that.

"What?" the girl said shrugging.

"Her name is Raven and the name of the girl who was with her is Taini. Raven, give her a room. I have to go pick up…" Michael glanced at Amber, not sure how to say his next phrase. "a friend at the hospital."

"Got it." Raven said smiling with her lips closed. Michael walked back out into the night. Amber felt a strong hand on her arm. "Get in here Rocky."

"Amber."

"What-ever." Raven said pulling her in the house, locking the door behind her. That made Amber a little nervous because of Raven. Why did she tell Amber her name was Selene? What was she trying to hide? The dark man from the picture and Taini walked up to them.

"Was that Michael?" the man asked in a deep voice.

"Yeah, you can catch him if you hurry." Raven said. The man left the girls together because he ran off quickly. Raven walked over to Taini.

"Do you know how much I want to bite her right now?" Taini whispered to Raven.

"So do I." Raven whispered back.

"Excuse me?" Amber asked confused.

"Nothing." Raven said. "Follow me."

Amber followed Taini and Raven through the house till they got to the main sitting room. Raven sat on the arm of an over stuffed chair while Taini sat in the chair.

"Sit." Raven told her.

"What do you think I am? A dog?" Amber asked.

"Yes, now sit and we'll give you biscuit." Raven told her.

"I'll stand, thank you." Amber said crossing her arms.

"No, sit." Raven said and roughly pushed Amber down on the couch. "Stubborn teenager." the girl mumbled under her breath.

"How do you and Michael know each other?" Taini asked.

"I'm his younger sister."

"Really?" Raven said turning to Taini. Amber felt like she was being interrogated. Now all that she had to figure out who was the good cop and who was the bad cop.

"What's your story? How did you come to live here?" Raven said turning back to Amber.

"I really don't want to share my life story with you. I don't exactly trust you yet." Amber told them, annoyance in her voice.

"Good, cause you shouldn't." Raven said smirking evilly, still not showing her teeth.

"Do you know what a lycan is?" Taini asked.

"No. And that's really off subject." Amber pointed out.

"How do you feel about vampires?" Raven asked, eyes glittering.

"Um, if they were real? They don't mess with me and I'm fine." Amber said, wondering where the heck this was going.

"That's an interesting way to put it." Raven said smiling.

That's the way it went for a while, till about an hour later. The three heard the door open and walked out to the hallway. Raven and Taini more like sprinted and Amber walked. She had no idea what the rush was.

Michael and the dark man stood in the hallway with a man with long hair at their side.

"Welcome back Lucien." Taini said smiling.

"It's good to be back Taini." the man with dark hair said and glanced over at Amber. "And who is this?"

"That's Rocky." Raven said smiling.

"Amber, it's Amber." _Man, that is going to get really annoying._ she thought to herself.

"Nice to meet you Amber. How did you find your way here?" Lucien asked her.

"I'm Michael's sister. I was forced to come."

"Did they get everything out?" Raven asked Lucian, really off subject again. Lucien nodded.

"Any side effects?" Raven asked him, she looked concerned.

"None whatsoever."

"Lucien, you get the room at the top of the stairs and Raze is across the hall." Raven said pointing up the steps. She seemed in a better mood all of a sudden. Amber guessed that whatever was in Lucian was bad and it was good that it was taken out. Raven smiled as she turned to Amber. "We have yet to find a room for Rocky."

"Amber! It's Amber. Not Rocky, Amber." the girl said sounding very annoyed.

"Alright…Rocky." Raven said.

Amber gave her the look of death and Taini and Raven just laughed.

"Your room will be the second one on the left," Taini said looking at Raven. If she said 'Rocky', Amber was going to hurt her. "Amber."

"Thank you." Amber said and went into her room and shut the door, loudly.

Lucien looked at Michael. "Charming sister you have. I'm sure Kraven would love to get his hands on her."

"Don't even get me started on that." Michael said, clearly worried.

"Don't worry." Taini said smiling. Raven smiled as she walked up the stairs before she spoke.

"We'll just let you worry about it."

(A/N: That's the first chapter. My writer's block for this is gone and I've decided to re-post. No flames please or I might have to hurt you. But you can review. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!)


	2. Lots of running

(A/N: Yeah! Summer school is over! If I didn't have choir or Spanish I wouldn't have to take it but hey, Spanish I have no choice over and there is no way in heck I'm going to stop choir. I love to sing to much, but enough rambling. I don't own anything from Underworld.)

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CHAPTER TWO

Amber woke up the next morning with Raven leaning over her. She was about an inch away from her face. Amber screamed from surprise and rolled off the bed. She wasn't used to people staring her in the face when she first woke up. Raven was laughing. Apparently she thought this was funny. _Man, she either has issues or no life to go and do that._ Amber thought angrily to herself.

"Um, morning." Amber said groggily getting a glance of the clock as she stood up. "Shit, I'm late for school."

Amber pushed passed Raven, ending the girl flying and landing on the unmade bed.

"Crazy!" Raven shouted at the girl.

"Thank you!" Amber replied as she ran down the stairs. When the girl turned her head back around, she almost ran into Lucian. She stopped in less than a split second. What could she say, she had a fast reaction time to things.

"Oh, sorry. Will you tell Michael I went to school?" Amber asked him.

"Of course." Lucien said smiling at her.

"Thank you." Amber said then ran out the door at top speed, which was pretty fast.

If Amber had left at this time yesterday, she would have been to school extremely early. Today, she had to run halfway across town to get her backpack and then get to school. Needless to say, she didn't want to go, but kind of had too. If she didn't Michael would kill her. If she had learned anything in her sixteen years, it was don't get Michael angry. He's usually very calm, but once you pass his limits…you're basically dead and get to chose how your remains will be displayed.

Amber got to the apartment and madly looked for her backpack. No one had entered the apartment while she was gone (of course there was nothing worth stealing anyway). Amber saw it and then grabbed her backpack off the couch, then bolted out the door again. She was getting quite a work out getting to school today.

When she got to school, she received her cold unwelcome by the popular kids as usual. Her classes were boring. It was school, what did she honestly expect? Then the class bully wanted to start something…again. Amber really had no patience today and mouthed off to him. Her tolerance level was at zero. Then, the stupid idiot wanted to fight her, so Amber flipped him over her back. That ended that argument. After school was busy as usual, but busier than usual. She had art club till three thirty, choir till six, and then she had debate till eight. Amber liked debate, she always won. Michael always said she was stubborn. She never doubted it for a second.

Amber won her debate, as she had become accustomed to, and sat down as she looked out at the dark sky that had formed outside. Another team went up to debate when the loud speaker came on.

"Will Miss Corvin come to the front office. Miss Corvin to the front office."

All eyes turned to Amber.

"I didn't do anything I swear." Amber told them.

"Sure you didn't." the teacher replied.

Amber shrugged and stood. If they believed her, fine. If not, that's fine too. She made her way to the office, which was on the second story of her school. Why did they want to see her? She honestly hadn't done anything. Did they think she did? Amber entered the small room and closed the door behind her. She walked up to the front desk to see woman sitting there. The clerk looked a teeny bit worried. Amber didn't know why, so went ahead and spoke first.

"You wanted to see me?" Amber asked her.

"No, we did." she heard and turned around. There was a man dressed in all black with three other men behind him. Amber was extremely confused. Who the heck were these people and why were they in the school? How did they even get in the school in the first place?

"Who are you?" Amber asked him.

"Is your last name Corvin?" the man in black asked.

"Yes." Amber replied slowly, not sure if that was good or bad.

"Then you don't need to know." the man said and pulled out a gun.

__

Oh shit…not good. Amber thought. "What the heck?"

"Now come quietly and nothing will happen to you." the guy said. Amber didn't even wait for him to finish before she was out the door. Once again, quick reaction time. They ran after her, but Amber didn't look back. She bolted down the hall as bullets went off around her. She screamed and dived to the ground as one barely missed her and crashed through the window, shattering it. Amber jumped up before they got any closer. It was a dead end, she had nowhere to go.

Amber looked around madly for an escape route. Then, she decided and took the only exit available. She jumped out the shattered window and flew through the air. She hit the ground hard, landing on her butt. She immediately scrambled up and looked back up at the school as she backed away quickly.

She saw the man look out the window then he disappeared back into the school. Amber turned around to run and smashed into someone. They were both flung back onto the ground. Amber landed on her rear, once again.

"Raven, Taini?" Amber asked.

"Rocky?" Raven asked.

"Amber. What are you doing here?"

"Michael sent us to get you." came a deep voice. Raze came running up behind them. Amber was glad to see him, even if she really didn't know him. At least she could go to Michael."

"C'mon, we're leaving town." Raven said talking her arm and Taini taking the other one.

"What?" Amber asked confused, but they were already running away from the school with Raze behind them. Were they leaving because of those men? Who were they? Was Michael in trouble? Was this a gang thing? Was Amber just over analyzing her life?

Raze turned around and saw the men who had chased Amber running after them over the grounds of the school.

"Raven. Taini." he said. The girls turned around and saw them.

"Oh, no." Amber said and was about ready to bolt. There was no way that she was going to stand there any longer than she had too.

"Kraven." Raven whispered hatefully as her eyes flared.

"What's he doing here?" Taini asked with the same hatred in her voice.

"How should I know? Wait you know him?" Amber asked.

"Unfortunately." Taini replied.

"We hate each other's guts and want the other dead." Raven to Amber.

"Okay." Amber replied as she pulled something out of her back pocket. There was a click and the object was made clear. It was a switch knife. Raven arched an eyebrow where she saw the blade.

"Nice." she said. "You're not so stupid after all."

"Thanks…I guess." Amber replied not sure if it was an insult or complement. She really didn't have time to decide right now. They began to run away from the men that were pursuing them. Raven and Taini were first, Raze was second with Amber trailing.

The men seemed to get closer to them as they ran, which was not good. Amber was once forced to use her knife to get away from a man who grabbed onto her leg. She stabbed him in the leg and then bolted off so she was running even with Raven and Taini.

"Hey, Rocky has a use after all." Raven said.

"Amber! My name is Amber."

As they ran, the scenery changed into the downtown part of the city. The four were exhausted and badly needed a rest. However, those strange men were on their heels. They couldn't afford to rest. Suddenly, Amber was pulled into an alleyway. Raven, Taini and Raze followed her.

"Lucien." Amber said breathing hard looking up into the man's face. There was a woman next to him all in black with short black hair. Lucien smiled down at the teen.

"Amber, this is Selene. Selene, this is Michael's sister." Lucien quickly introduced then turned to Amber. "Follow her."

Amber nodded and looked over to Selene. Selene went down into a sewer pipe and Amber followed, slightly disgusted. Down in the pipe Amber found Michael.

"What's going on?" Amber asked him. "And why are we in a sewer?"

"He will tell you later. Right now we have to out run Kraven." Selene said as Taini jumped down followed by Lucien. Raven was next with Raze last. The seven of them ran till they got to the end. There was a ladder on the wall before them and they climbed it. Amber was still confused as ever but really didn't complain. She just wanted to get away from the smell. The group came up outside of the city. Amber looked around and saw a silver SUV parked waiting for them. Raven jumped in the back seat with Taini and Lucien and Raze sat in the middle two seats. Selene took the drivers seat with Michael riding shotgun. Amber sat between the two, feeling very uneasy being seated so close to someone she had just met.

"Hold on." Selene said as she threw the car in gear. They quickly sped off into the night, throwing everyone against the back of their seats.

"Where are we going?" Amber asked as she whipped off her knife with a handkerchief and carefully switched the blade closed. She then put it in her back pocket. She had kept it out this whole time as protection incase she would need it. She thanked god she didn't have to use it again.

"We found a new place to stay." Michael told her gently.

"Who were those men that chased me?" Amber asked, her heartbeat still quick from the run. She guessed it had been at least two miles, maybe more, of them eluding their pursuers.

"Their leader is Kraven." Selene replied.

"Don't worry about them now." Michael interrupted. It seemed like he was keeping something from Amber, which made her angry. He goes and disappears, leaving her all alone and now he's keeping secrets after she was almost killed. She didn't know what had happed to Michael, but he had changed.

"You need to relax." Michael told her and pulled Amber against him.

"But…" Amber started tiredly.

"Shhh, rest." Michael told her gently. Amber gave up and leaned against him. Okay, maybe he hadn't changed so much. He was still protective of her and she couldn't win an argument with him, no matter how hard she tried. Michael put his arm around her to try and comfort her.

The sky clouded over and it began to storm, but still they kept driving. There was no lightning, just rain. It was raining hard and they had to keep the windshield-wipers going quickly so Selene could see to drive. Raven or Taini didn't seem concerned at all about the weather. They chattered quietly to each other. Amber could hear them, but didn't even bother to try and decipher what they were saying. She was to tired to care anymore. Amber fell asleep to the tapping of the rain on the windows.

(A/N: That's it for this chapter. Next update won't be for a while. I'm going to New York and I get to see _WICKED_ on Broadway! (EEEP! EXCITED!) NO FLAMES please, but REVIEW! Thanks!)


	3. Fight!

(A/N: Yeah I finally got to a computer! I don't own anything from Underworld.)

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CHAPTER THREE

"Amber." Michael said gently shaking his sister. She didn't even stir. Michael knew Amber was a little confused and tense, and he didn't want to stop her heart by waking her suddenly. Raven rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed, and leaned forward between the two front seats.

"Hey Rocky!" she practically shouted as she smacked Amber on the shoulder fairly hard.

"What!" Amber asked as she jumped awake, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

"We're here." Taini said getting out of the car.

"Great. Thanks for giving me a heart attack." Amber said glaring at Raven.

"You're most welcome." Raven replied and then got out of the car. Amber stretched a bit before she slid out of the car herself. Her mind might have been awake, but her muscles weren't. She noticed it had stopped raining, but the clouds above them threatened to open up once more. After she got out of the car, Amber got her first look at an old rundown castle. The vines of the garden were overgrown and had begun to climb their way up through the dark, cold stone the place was made of. The plants had begun to die, or looked like it at least. The grounds were flooded with weeds and it would look like a jungle from an ant's point of view. Clearly, no one had been there for a _long_ time.

"Welcome home." Raven said smiling.

"If you're Dracula." Amber added with one of her eyebrows raised at the chooser's taste in locations. Raven and Selene smiled and glanced at each other. Taini had a slight smirk on her face. Amber thought that they were just acting weird from the long trip…at least she hoped.

"This is just till we find another place." Michael said at seeing Amber's reaction. Suddenly, the clouds opened above them and rain came flying down.

Amber pulled her sweater around her and pulled the neck up to try and avoid getting wet. The group ran to the overhang above the massive oak front doors to get out of the rain.

"Anyone happen to have a key?" Amber asked eying the chain and lock on the door.

"Raze, if you would be so kind." Lucien said stepping aside. Raze stepped forward. With a grunt, he kicked the doors and they flew wide open, the chains and padlock falling to the ground.

"Whoa." Amber said a little shocked, the turned to Raze. "Remind me never to make you mad."

"That just gave me an idea." Raven mumbled to Taini and both girls smiled mischievously. Amber didn't notice this.

The seven of them walked in and looked around the dark entryway, a bolt of lightning their only light for a few moments. The floor was black marble and everything was either red in color or dark oak.

"It's certainly inviting." Amber mumbled sarcastically.

"Will someone please tell her to shut-up?" Taini said rolling her eyes.

"Rocky, shut-up will you?" Raven said gently hitting her arm with her hand. Amber gave her the look of death. She was fed up with Raven telling her what to do. She was almost fed up _just_ withRaven.

"No." Amber replied.

"Excuse me?" Raven asked, not believing her ears. Everyone was taken off guard by Amber's reply. This was a first.

"I said 'no.' It's still a free country last time I checked." Amber answered her, annoyance in her voice. Raven walked up to her, not looking very happy. She was about an inch or two taller, so Amber had to look up slightly. The girl refused to surrender her ground. She would be intimidated by her no longer. Enough was enough.

"People don't say 'no' to me. It's become a habit."

"Then I'm breaking that habit." Amber replied. This is when she was glad she was in debate club. She was sure she could win this argument.

"Tell me Rocky, are you afraid of me?" Raven asked smiling evilly, still not showing her teeth.

"Not in the least." Amber replied smirking with defiance sparking through her deep blue eyes like the lightning that was jumping from cloud to cloud outside. Raven leaned into her.

"You should be." she whispered in her ear and then walked calmly over to Taini.

__

That's it. I'm sleeping with my door locked tonight…and all nights from now on. Amber thought before walking up next to Michael. They walked around the castle and found the kitchen, dining room, study, library, ect. They didn't find any bedrooms on the first floor, but found several on the second floor.

Amber's room was across the hall from Michael's and Selene's. The two shared a room. Michael had told Amber earlier that they were in a relationship (if you could even call it that). Amber then was thinking of ways to taunt Michael about it later.

Around the corner was Raze's and Lucien's room on one side and Raven's and Taini's on the other (yes, they all got their own rooms). Amber waited to see where everyone's room was before going to her own. That way she could find someone if she needed too.

Amber's room was large with a window opposite her door. The bed was four poster with a black canopy with ruby red sheets and black pillows. The walls were the same dark stone from the outside of the castle along with the floor. The floor was covered in a dark red and black rug that kept it from getting to cold in the room.

Amber flopped down on the bed and fell to sleep around sunrise. She was to tired to do anything else.

Amber woke around seven that night. She brushed her hair and went down stairs after noticing when she woke up that she was still in her clothes from the night before. Raze, Michael, Lucien, and Taini were sitting in the common room, talking.

"Now that rock formation is awake, we can get down to business." Taini said.

"How long have I been asleep?" Amber asked glaring at Taini because of the 'rock formation' comment.

"Well, it's seven p.m. now." Michael said.

"Great. I've become nocturnal." Amber said collapsing into a chair.

"Don't worry about it. We all have." Lucien said smiling at her. Amber managed a weak smile back. Suddenly, there was a low grumbling noise.

"Sorry, stomach." Amber said shrinking back from embarrassment.

"When was the last time you ate anything?" Michael asked.

"School lunch yesterday." Amber replied. Just then Raven and Selene came walking down the stairs.

"Morning all." Raven said then spotted Amber. An evil smile formed on the girl's closed lips. "Sleep well Rocky?" she asked with a spark in her eyes. How she loved to annoy the new kid.

"Yes I did, birdie."

"What did you call me?" Raven asked, glaring at the girl. Her dislike for Amber had grown since they met. The only thing that kept Raven from killing her was the fact that she was Michael's sister. If he wasn't in the room at that moment, she would have anyway.

"You call me Rocky, I call you birdie. Fair enough?" Amber said smirking slightly. _All is fair in war._ she thought to herself. If Raven was going to annoy her, she might as well have a reason to do so.

"You're just lucky I'm in a good mood." Raven mumbled then sighed in defeat. She didn't mind the name, but it was just so…perky. The teen _hated_ perky. "Alright, I'll call you Amber."

"Thank you…Raven."

"You're welcome…Amber." Raven said with a forced smile on her face.

Amber smiled and leaned back in her chair, pleased with herself. Raven then let out a cough that sounded like 'Rocky.'

"Aggg! I give up!" Amber growled. Raven smiled evilly and she leaned against the banister of the stairs, pleased with herself. Her job was done.

"Raze, Lucian and Selene have to go…to the grocery store. Amber, I was going to go back to the apartment and get some things we might need. Do you want to come with me?" Michael asked, hoping to stop the verbal war between Raven and his sister.

Taini and Raven giggled slightly at the thought of Raze, Lucian and Selene in a grocery store. It was just too funny for words. After Amber gave them a funny look, the two quickly turned their laughing in to a hacking cough. Amber just had to roll her eyes at the two.

"I believe I will." Amber replied after her expression had changed to one of complete calm.

"Great." Taini said.

"We are going too." Raven replied.

"Wonderful." Amber moaned.

Lucian, Raze and Selene went on their way while Michael, Amber, Taini and Raven went toward the subway to get to the apartment. The train ride was quiet, Amber lost in her own thoughts while Raven and Taini whispered to each other. Michael was busy writing a list of things that they needed.

When the four reached the apartment building, they took the stairs on account of the giant hole in front of the elevator on their floor, which had yet to be fixed. Amber was curious about that. Did that happen the night Michael disappeared?

"Michael?" Amber asked.

"Hum?"

"Can you explain the giant hole in front of the elevator or the plaster that fell off the ceiling in the apartment?" the girl asked turning to her brother.

"No." Michael lied.

"What do you think he had to do with it?" Raven snapped at the girl.

"Don't bite my head off." Amber snapped back then became quiet. "It was a just a simple question."

The teenager had no idea how complicated the answer was. Michael really didn't feel like explaining to his younger sister the entire war between vampires and lycans that had been raging for centuries. Lord knows that would not go over well with her.

When they got to Michael and Amber's apartment, the four were shocked at what they saw. The door was wide open and it looked like the door had been thrown off it's hinges to rest beside the doorway on the floor. Inside, the place was a mess. It looked like someone had gone through their apartment. Books were lying open on the floor and the couch was overturned. The cushions ripped opened and the contents thrown on the floor. The papers on the desk were all shuffled around and the pictures of Amber's family were all crumpled and torn like the papers. It looked like someone had tried to destroy them. All he cabinets had been gone through as were the drawers, which lay upside down on the floor. There was broken glass on the floor from the broken picture frames and window along with what little china Michael and Amber owned.

"Whoa." Taini said at seeing the poor state of the room.

"You used to live like this?" Raven asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice. She knew very well what had happened and had seen a scene like this all to often.

"Michael." Amber said worriedly turning to her brother and gently touched the base of her neck. Concern and anxiety washed over his face as he left Raven and Taini wondering what the heck the two were talking about.

"Go look." Michael told her and Amber nodded before she rushed off to her room. Taini and Raven looked at each other and then quickly followed Amber.

Amber's room was in the same state that the living area was in. The girl didn't pay any attention to it though. She immediately moved her bed to the left and then looked as if she was counting something, her finger pointing to the floor boards, each in turn.

"What are you doing?" Taini asked her.

Amber didn't hear the question because she was too deep in concentration. Suddenly, the girl jammed her boot as hard as she could on one end of a floor board. The plank lifted up to reveal a compartment underneath. The expression on Amber's face quickly changed from anxiety to relief. Raven and Taini couldn't really see what was happening, but to Amber it was good to know her hiding spot had not been found.

Inside the small compartment under the floor was a pewter necklace. Amber reached in and picked it up by the chain. She then laid the pendent in her hand and gently blew off the dust before carefully wiping off the remainder of dust. It was her mother's necklace, the family necklace. The pendant was in the shape a five-pointed star. In the center of the star was a blood red stone surrounded by a rim of gold.

"What is so important?" Raven asked. Sine the plank from the floor was sticking straight up, Taini or Raven couldn't see what Amber was holding.

"My mom's necklace." Amber said putting it on and buttoning up her sweater jacket from the cold. The jacket conveniently covered the jewel that hung around the girl's neck.

"It's important why?" Raven asked her.

Amber didn't answer. Her deep blue eyes turned distant as she continued to crouch on the floor. She didn't move at all, her eyes fixed on one spot on the floor. After a moment, she looked up and then shifted her gaze to the clothes that were thrown all over her floor. She got up and grabbed some clothes before turning to Raven and Taini.

"I'm going to change and then pack some clothes. Why don't you two go help Michael?" Amber said and then walked into her bathroom. Moments later, she emerged wearing black jeans, her boots, a black short-sleeved tunic top that was tight fitting. Over all hat was her black three-button, cotton trench coat that fell to the floor. She had her mothers necklace tucked under her shirt, as usual.

"You look better."

Amber jumped at the voice, the owner of it slowly slipping from the shadows of the room.

"Raven!" Amber told her clutching her chest. "Don't do that. You scared me."

"Good, that was the intention." Raven said smiling evilly as Amber grabbed her black gym bag and began to stuff clothes in it along with other things, like a toothbrush and other nessicary objects.

"What were you doing in here anyway? Weren't you helping Michael?" Amber asked her.

"I was, but it got boring so I thought I'd bug you." Raven told her smirking.

"Joy." Amber mumbled to herself as she zipped up the gym back, that was stuffed to capacity.

"Ready, Rocky?"

Amber didn't reply as she stood, she just pushed passed Raven into the next room to see Michael closing his own bag.

"Ready?" Michael asked Amber at seeing her.

"Yup." the girl replied before Raven appeared from behind her and 'accidentally' ran into her. Raven and Amber exchanged hateful glances with each other before the group left the apartment.

When they returned to the mansion, Raze, Lucian and Selene had already returned. Taini and Michael went to their rooms as Amber moved toward the library.

"Where you going Rocky?" Raven asked her.

"The library. Got a problem with it?" Amber replied, setting her bag down next to the hall in the entryway.

"No, but you should be in bed soon." Raven ordered her.

"Who are you, my mother?"

"No, now go on and I'll read you a bedtime story." Raven teased the girl.

Amber sighed angrily, trying to control her temper with this girl as she turned to her. Raven was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and was smirking.

"What is your deal? If you have a problem with me, say it to my face." Amber told her.

"Fine, I have a problem with you."

"Why? I never did anything to you!" Amber demanded. If she was hated, she would at least know the reason.

"I just don't like you."

"You decided that when you first saw me!" Amber told her. "You didn't even give me a chance to see if you liked me or not."

"I can just tell." Raven almost shouted at her.

"No wonder Taini is your only friend! You don't like anyone if they don't agree with you. Newsflash, Raven! Other people have opinions too!" Amber shouted at the girl.

"I'm not opinionated. I'm just always right! And when I want your opinion I'll give it to you!" Raven shouted back at the small girl who dared to argue with her.

"You aren't always right Raven! No one's always right and sometimes listening to someone else is the only way to do anything! You are going to have to get it through that thick head of yours that not everyone thinks like you!" Amber roared, her sapphire eyes blazing with anger.

In a fit of rage, Raven grabbed the girl's arm and twisted it behind her back before she pushed her up against the wall.

"Take it back." Raven hissed in her ear.

"Never." Amber replied before she flung her head back so it collided with Raven's. The girl stumbled backward from shock that the rock formation had actually _hit_ her.

"You are so dead." Raven hissed at Amber.

"Bring it on." Amber challenged her.

"Raven! Amber!"

The two down the hall to see that Michael had found them arguing. He didn't look happy.

"What is going on?" he demanded as he stalked towards the two.

"Raven is being pompous." Amber replied.

"Umm…pompous, big word for you. Would you like some ice before your brain over-heats?" Raven replied.

Amber gave her the death glare and Raven returned it. To Raven's surprise, Amber didn't flinch or turn away. Wow, the kid must have been pretty pissed off to do that.

"Girls!" Michael said to get their attention before they started fighting again.

The girls turned to him. Amber glanced at Raven, loathing in her eyes before she moved forward passed Michael.

"Where are you going?" Michael demanded.

"To hit something!"


End file.
